Coughlin says he doesn’t want to lose games for the sole purpose of evaluation, but wouldn’t rule out some new faces.

“The guys who deserve to play are going to play,” he said. “And if there are some people that haven’t been involved that can make a mark here in practice or whatever to gain what we think has earned them a right to have ‘X’ amount of snaps, then that will take place as well.”

Do you sit your best players who are already injured? According to a person with knowledge of the situation, sitting Jason Pierre-Paul for the season has not been ruled out. The defensive end has a nagging shoulder injury and will undergo a re-evaluation process.

“I think that’s up to the medical people,” Coughlin said. “As far as I know right now, that decision has not come down. As a matter of fact, JPP feels better and as of last weekend, thought that this week he would be perhaps in a position where he might be able to practice.”

And those are just the surface-level issues the Giants will have to confront. At this point, it may be more about acceptance than anything. Following a six-hour flight home from San Diego, a somber Giants team was finally – after playoff scenarios came and went, still linking the team with a two in 1,000 chance at the postseason – done. There were no more chaos equasions.

A win against Seattle might help take the edge off. But even then, Victor Cruz wasn’t sure.

“If we beat that team, it would kind of make it more disappointing because we didn’t take advantage of playing like this all year long,” Victor Cruz said. “Obviously it would just put a smile on our face and have us know that when we play at our best, we can beat any team in the league.”

Instead, the Giants approach this uneasy territory head on. They are a team built to win now, with just one playoff appearance in the last five years.

For at least a little while longer, they will remain in limbo, stuck between a proud past and a future in development.

“Obviously this is not the situation we wanted to find ourselves in,” Mathias Kiwanuka said. “I think the things we have to remember and understand, what we’re going to continue to preach in the locker room, is the prideful organization…we have a lot to play for.”